Once you leave I-15, you'll come across the tiny town of Nipton, CA, the last town in California before you get to Nevada.

Nipton, CA

Yes, it is the best burger around. Also, the ONLY burger around.

Searchlight, NV

Way off in the distance, you can see Searchlight, home of Harry Reid, the ex Senate Majority Leader. It looks close in this picture, but it's actually about 12 miles away.

Searchlight, NV

Searchlight is about the only place to stay, unless you want to go north of Nelson. The population there is around 800 people, living in 350 houses. The average temperature there in summer is around 100 degrees. It used to be a mining town, but now it's a mix of retired people, ranchers, small business owners, and artists. The median income here is around $30,000. The trailer homes are very typical for the area.

Searchlight NV

This is one of the two restaurants in Searchlight. The other one is a McDonalds.

Desert Star Energy Center

Just before the turnoff to Nelson, you'll come to the Desert Star Energy Center, owned by SDG&E. It was opened in 2012, and generates up to 490 megawatts, enough to power 300,000 homes.

View from Nelson turnoff

This is a land of big skies -- vast deserts, ringed by mountains. When this photo was taken, a bit of rain had cooled things down to a bearable 98 degrees, much better than the 110 degress the day before.

On the way to Nelson

It's hard to imagine the early settlers making their way across this landscape.

On the way to Nelson

Within a few minutes of turning off Route 95, the landscape begins to change. You start seeing colorful mineral layers embedded in the rocks.

First view of Nelson

About 10 miles from the turnoff, you go over a hill and finally see the little town of Nelson.

Town of Nelson

The population in 2010 was 37 people. By 2015, it may have risen to 50 people.

Nelson

You can still see some of the old miners' homes. They are not much more than wooden shacks.

Approaching the mine

The colors in the rocks are amazing.

Techatticup Mine

A couple of miles more down the road you come to the Techatticup Mine. This is where all the old vehicles and buildings are.

Techatticup Mine

Some of the buildings next to the general store, where you check in.

Techatticup Mine

Some of the old cars on the north side of the road.

Techatticup Mine, north side

Techatticup Mine, north side

This piano is badly out of tune!

Techatticup Mine, north side

Another view of the piano in infrared.

Techatticup Mine, north side

The old gas station.

Mine, north side

A "cholla garden" near the garage. These cacti are some of the nastiest around. They have barbs that embed themselves into your skin.

Techatticup Mine, north side

The car repair center

Techatticup Mine, north side

Techatticup Mine, north side

A fascinating building where repairs of all sorts were made. Inside, there are three stories.

Techatticup Mine, north side.

Techatticup Mine, south side

The actual mine is on the south side of the road. This is also where the seven people who work at the site live. There are still some of the original miners' homes there as well.

Techatticup Mine, south side

The original mine is near the top of this hill.

Techatticup Mine, south side

Separating the gold required lots of cyanide. It was stored in these huge tanks at the base of the hill.

Techatticup Mine, south side

Close up of one of the cyanide tanks

Mine, south side

Tailings below the cyanide tanks.

Mine, south side

A wagon used to haul ore.

Mine, south side

Old equipment and appliances are everywhere.

Mine, south side

Another view showing the cyanide tanks and tailings.

Mine, south side

This plane wreck is a movie prop used in the filming of 3000 Miles to Graceland, made in 2001 and starring Kurt Russel and Kevin Costner.

Mine, south side

Danny, a really nice guy who has lived here for 12 years, in front of his house.

Mine, south side

People used to bring stolen cars here and burn them. This isn't a piece of art; it's actually the melted remains of a magnesium wheel.

Mine, south side

It's hard to believe anyone could live in something like this, but they did.

Mine, south side.

Mine, south side

Two of the people who work here live in this larger house.

Mine, south side

On the way to the Colorado River

A colorful mine building.

On the way to the Colorado River

This house next to a mine entrance got wiped out in one of the many flash floods in the area.

Approaching the Colorado River

The columns in the lower center of the image consist of harder rocks that have been eroded by the flash floods.